Job
We are so blessed. We have a fabulous priest at our parish here...young, vibrant, and willing to make mass last a little longer if it means making sure we all understand the weekly readings :) I've blogged about him before: his homily at Brent's baptism and Gabbi's thoughts on him. This Sunday was another amazing homily.
He was talking about Job. About how he suffered and was in misery because he had lost everything and was living a life of monotony, drudgery... he asked if any of us felt that way. Like the day to day was exhausting or if we felt like the trials and struggles were ever just too much. Then he asked for a volunteer.
A little girl about 9 years old raised her hand. he called her up and explained that all he wanted her to do was to walk from the alter to the back of the church and back. she went to take a step and he said, "oh wait, I forgot..." and pulled out duct tape. He started and stopped her about 10 times, duct-taping her ankles, knees, thighs arms and wrists. Finally he blindfolded her. When she couldnt see him anymore, he called her father up. He whispered to her dad that all he needed to do was stand in front of her with his arms out to catch her if she fell. Then he asked the girl if she was ready to try again. Not knowing her father was there, the little girl hopped, determined, to the back door. She was exhausted when she got there and couldnt figure out how to turn around. He told the dad to take off the blindfold. Then he said, "let your father help you.." at first the father removed some duct tape, then he finally carried her to the alter. The priest thanked them and had them sit down.
Then he looked at us and said, "Life is not a problem to be solved; it is a mystery to be lived." The girl was stuck, she tried her hardest to just keep going, but it was too hard. He said to us, "she didnt need to keep trying to solve the problem. if she had just surrendered and let herself fall, she would have landed in the arms of her father and he would have carried her where she needed to go."
Life is not a problem to be solved, it is a mystery to be lived....
He was talking about Job. About how he suffered and was in misery because he had lost everything and was living a life of monotony, drudgery... he asked if any of us felt that way. Like the day to day was exhausting or if we felt like the trials and struggles were ever just too much. Then he asked for a volunteer.
A little girl about 9 years old raised her hand. he called her up and explained that all he wanted her to do was to walk from the alter to the back of the church and back. she went to take a step and he said, "oh wait, I forgot..." and pulled out duct tape. He started and stopped her about 10 times, duct-taping her ankles, knees, thighs arms and wrists. Finally he blindfolded her. When she couldnt see him anymore, he called her father up. He whispered to her dad that all he needed to do was stand in front of her with his arms out to catch her if she fell. Then he asked the girl if she was ready to try again. Not knowing her father was there, the little girl hopped, determined, to the back door. She was exhausted when she got there and couldnt figure out how to turn around. He told the dad to take off the blindfold. Then he said, "let your father help you.." at first the father removed some duct tape, then he finally carried her to the alter. The priest thanked them and had them sit down.
Then he looked at us and said, "Life is not a problem to be solved; it is a mystery to be lived." The girl was stuck, she tried her hardest to just keep going, but it was too hard. He said to us, "she didnt need to keep trying to solve the problem. if she had just surrendered and let herself fall, she would have landed in the arms of her father and he would have carried her where she needed to go."
Life is not a problem to be solved, it is a mystery to be lived....
Comments
Post a Comment